Marine Ecology

Symbiont diversity

The sponge microbiome: a community affair, Taylor et al., MMBR (2007)

The field of sponge microbiology has made significant advancements with respect to assessing diversity, which were largely driven by the implementation of novel sequencing strategis. In this context, we are currently engaged in the EMP sponge microbiome project. This ambitious, grass-roots community project involves over 25 scientists from more than 15 countries and aligns with the Earth Microbiome Project – an international initiative aimed at characterizing global microbial diversity of our planet. This is particularly relevant during the current period of rapid environmental change where valid concerns exist for the persistence of many marine species.